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ARCHIVE: Long call wait / delay / hold times for AA phone lines

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Old Mar 8, 2021, 11:15 am
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: JDiver
ARCHIVE of 2015-2019 posts on this topic.

For current thread, please see here.


AA operates non-status, Gold, Platinum and Platinum Pro combined call center as well as Executive Platinum, Concierge Key dedicated call centers.

Read on for alternatives


There can be several causes of lengthy call answering, among them irregular or off schedule operations (OSO / IROPS) caused by weather.

● Call wait times extend as OSO develop - storms, etc. particularly affecting hubs, which produce knock-on effects that may persist a day or two.

● You can see current AA travel policies: https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInform...avelAlerts.jsp

● You can always check FlightStats current North America airport delays, for example, to see how things are - here.

● For other useful links, tools etc. see the wiki for AA OSO, IROPS / IRROPS, delay, cancelation etc. resources (master thread).

Try using the AA Twitter team: @AmericanAir can help. Send them a request they follow you so you can send them DM (Direct Messages), then you can send them your AAdvantage number and EP status,which they can add to their profile on you. Then you can DM them privately with your PNR etc. (You must have a Twitter account.) This can be useful and rapid.

● At times like these AA may open their OSO (Off-Schedule Operations) desk to help inconvenienced travelers. 800-446-7834 is the number, and the desk is only staffed during severe OSO. (Please call only if your travel is disrupted, of course.)

● Others have called 1.800.222.2377 (web services) and had shorter response times.

● If you speak Castilian Spanish, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese or use a TDD, you may get faster attention; see numbers below.

● You can try calling non-USA numbers, listed here:

bchandler42 reports "During weather events, the elite line will have the option to press 1 for the callback. I use that, longest I've ever waited was about 40 minutes which was accurate with the expected time it gave me."

giblet called Thailand using Skype (2.3 cents a minute).

● There is one call-handling nexus, with prioritized lines for Gold, Platinum and Platinum Pro status holders, and separate Executive Platinum and Concierge Key "desks". Gold, Platinum and Platinum Pro callers are prioritized to be answered by the same agents that respond to non-status customers.


Code:
Telephone numbers for speakers of Castilian Spanish, Chinese Mandarin, Japanese:
 
 English (Inglés)
 1-800-433-7300
 7 days a week
 
 Japanese 1-800-237-0027
 6:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m. CT 7 days a week
 
 Mandarin Chinese 1-800-492-8095
 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. CT Mon - Fri
 8:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. CT Sat and Sun
 
 Spanish 1-800-633-3711 7 días a la semana
 
 TDD 1-800-543-1586
 (for hearing impaired or deaf people /
 para personas con discapacidad auditiva o del habla)
Link to archived previous posts in ARCHIVE: Long wait / delay / hold times for AA phone lines (2014)
[/FONT]

"Transplanted from another post, for those affected overseas.

So many ways of calling AA directly; I'd try:

AT&T.
Smartphones that will automatically switch to using Internet for calls.
Skype 2 cents per minute), Google Hangouts or other VOIP services, including WiFi or Internet.

English 800-433-7300 24 hours, Daily

Japan +81 03-4333-7675

If you are calling from outside the U.S. or Canada, you may reach U.S. Reservations by using the following procedures. (Please note that the call is not toll free.)
  • Access the website http://www.business.att.com/bt/access.jsp. The site lists eligible countries and phone numbers.
  • Dial the AT&T access number provided on the website (it is different for each country).
  • An AT&T operator or English language voice prompt will ask for the telephone number you are calling. Dial 800-433-7300 for all American Airlines departments (except AAdvantage) or dial 800-882-8880 for the AAdvantage department.
  • After the tone, enter your regular AT&T Calling Card number (not the international number). You may also use the AT&T Corporate Calling card and many other U.S. local phone company cards. MasterCard, Visa, American Express, Discover/Novus or Diners Club cards can be used from many countries to place calls back to the U.S.
  • For assistance, press zero or stay on the line for an AT&T operator.
Also:

Originally Posted by Dr. HFH
I'm currently in BKK, and needed to talk to AA about my rezzy. I didn't want the local number which would be answered in who-knows-where, I wanted a direct US number. Looked around both AA.com and FT (which is how I found this thread). Found nothing particularly helpful or which worked. The back of my EXP card has only an 800 number for the U.S., no local DFW area number.

Eventually, I just dialed +1-800-xxx-xxxx, the regular 800 number on the back of my EXP card, the same way I dial regular, non-800 numbers from abroad. Voila!!! I was connected with the EXP desk, just as if I were in the U.S.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MODERATOR'S NOTE


There are several ways to contact AA's U.S. numbers by telephone from outside the U.S. & Canada:

1) Those with Skype, Google Hangouts or other VOIP internet phone providers may be able to dial various AA 800 numbers directly toll free. Direct dialing an 800 number from a landline or mobile phone overseas may or may not work, and will not be toll free.

2) Use AT&T World Traveler Service to access AA 800 numbers from overseas. Long distance charges will apply and can be paid using an AT&T Calling Card, AT&T Prepaid Phone Card, credit card, or via collect call. AAdvantage elite customers (GLD, PLT, EXP) can dial their elite 800 number using this service and AT&T's systems will recognize these numbers and put the call through without asking for a payment method.

3) Call the AMR Headquarters number at 1-817-963-1234 from any telephone. Either an operator or the IVR system can then connect you with the appropriate department.

In addition, AA provides local numbers in many countries here: Worldwide Reservations Phone Numbers

See also the AA Wiki for additional information: Contacting American Airlines

This thread was extracted from an outdated 2002 thread, and merged with recent posts on this topic.

dstan
AA Forum Co-Moderator
and

Link to USA airport delays (FlightAware)

Link to FlightAware “Misery Map” (graphic representation of troubles on a USA map)

Link to AA cancelled flights today (FlightAware)

Link to cancelled flights (today, to two days out - FlightAware)

Link to FT Original Routing Credit thread in cases of involuntary reroute

Link to archive of this thread, posts 2015-2019





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ARCHIVE: Long call wait / delay / hold times for AA phone lines

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Old Sep 26, 2019, 2:10 pm
  #1021  
 
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: TX
Programs: AA: EXP MR: Ti
Posts: 495
Originally Posted by CMK10
Called the EXP line today at 11 AM and was quoted a 10-14 minute wait. Odd as the FAA website didn't show any airports with major delays.

DFW ops were still recovering from weather issues earlier in the morning
asf-07 is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2019, 4:40 pm
  #1022  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Programs: AA-EXP
Posts: 616
1 hour to 1:20 call back times on EXP line Friday 6:40pm. Ugh.

UPDATE: Call back received at 7:58pm, 1 hour 18 minute wait.

Last edited by Uzzar; Sep 27, 2019 at 6:00 pm Reason: UPDATE
Uzzar is offline  
Old Sep 27, 2019, 8:32 pm
  #1023  
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: DFW
Programs: AA ExPlat, 4mm
Posts: 102
Tried to call the EXP line at noon today - 30 minute return call wait. Never mind. Tried again at 21:30 CDT - 2 hour return call wait. I realize there is weather in ORD, but my goodness...
Grail is offline  
Old Dec 23, 2019, 12:23 pm
  #1024  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Amb Elite & LT Titanium, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 1,230
Got the 1hr + message on the EXP line. Finally called me back. Says press '1'. I press '1'. Message repeats. I press '1' again. Nothing. IVR not responding to entries. No way to by pass. Hangs up and calls me back 15 minutes later. Same deal.

Wonder how many times they are going to call me back if the IVR wont pick up the entry.
deac83 is offline  
Old Dec 23, 2019, 11:37 pm
  #1025  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: DFW/DAL
Programs: AA Lifetime PLT, AS MVPG, HH Diamond, NCL Platinum Plus, MSC Diamond
Posts: 21,422
Originally Posted by deac83
Got the 1hr + message on the EXP line. Finally called me back. Says press '1'. I press '1'. Message repeats. I press '1' again. Nothing. IVR not responding to entries. No way to by pass. Hangs up and calls me back 15 minutes later. Same deal.

Wonder how many times they are going to call me back if the IVR wont pick up the entry.
Did this happen 1 time, or during multiple callbacks? Sometimes, in band camp, misconnects happen, or maybe the system it is connecting to was too overloaded to handle the capacity.
AA is not alone in this. It's not like some rookie IVR support person wiped out the Automated Call Dispatch system while trying to recover the former primary, when it hadn't been backed up in over 2 years. (and I am sure there are people at that Atlantic City casino still pissed about this error on their Aspect ACD system 25 years later..............)
mvoight is offline  


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